Laura Schultz

“We do not see nature with our eyes but with our hearts”---William Hazlitt

In Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth”, many of us became aware for the first time that we all share responsibility for a potential global disaster. However, with a shift in our consciousness, we can transcend the self and become part of a global solution. Healing the planet while we heal ourselves has entered our field of vision and captured our attention. What many of us have not yet realized is that living and thinking” Green” is not only a positive choice, but a fun and creative one as well. Becoming green has become not only chic, but in many circles environmentalism is considered “hip”.

Until recently, being eco-friendly was frowned upon. Now there is an emerging trend that one can even become eco-exuberant or eco-spirited. A new term, “eco-sexual” has been coined that describes a person who makes relationship choices based on shared environmental concerns. A few years ago it was unheard of that one could gain respect and admiration by picking up one’s date in a hybrid car. Today, even couples are encouraged to take more pleasure in the “journey” rather than in the final destination when it comes to intimacy. New ideas have unfolded such as adding a dimmer switch to create an intimate mood, while saving energy at the same time. To further such eco-intimacy, couples can either purchase or make their own eco-sexual kit that might include items such as soy candles that melt into a delicious massage oil.

These new developments are not just fashionable business trends. There is a larger movement afoot that is bringing the Green spirit into the mainstream. A new mindset is evolving that is enabling us to deal with the “Inconvenient Truth” by transforming our belief systems, while simultaneously creating a joyful experience. Psychotherapists have found that behavioral and attitudinal changes are more likely to occur when people get involved with a common goal that connects them with others. It is within the context of this connectedness, that people can transcend the self more easily. There is a powerful sense of pride that develops when people share a feeling that they have made a difference in their world. Simply put, when we do good deeds we feel good about ourselves.

Our fast paced city life has alienated us from nature and created feelings of isolation on both a personal and global level. Re-establishing a bond with the earth has an amazing potential to promote mental health and reduce stress. Families and communities are participating together in nature related activities that provide an antidote for urban life. Sometimes the best remedy for loneliness or feelings of isolation is to take a jaunt to the ocean, the park, or the forest to find solace in the simplicity of nature. When we feel a part of the natural world, we can more easily heal ourselves. We are all bound together in an organic whole in which the actions of one affect the lives of all. Cultures throughout history have had a spiritual grounding in their respect for life and the balance and harmony of nature. The energy of the natural realm was viewed as a feminine ideal because it gives and sustains life. The Greeks called this natural realm Gaia, the Mother Goddess who later became known as Mother Nature. Inherent in this ancient belief of the earth as a living being is a commitment to, and a shared responsibility for others. We are all bound together in an organic and living whole in which the actions of one affect the lives of all. As many around the world are returning to these sacred philosophies, let us hope that the Goddess is still alive within us and that her shared magic will sustain us once more.  

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